As is well known there are many vitamins and minerals, essential fatty acids, proteins and carbohydrates which are required to sustain the human body. Recently the lack of vitamins, minerals and essential-unsaturated fatty acids have been linked to the creation of various diseases, more specifically those diseases of aging such as in arthritis and cancer as well as others. Recently noted is the evidence that the unsaturated fatty acids and their derivatives, e.g.: salts, amides, and esters, play a role in the synthesis of prostaglandin which are local hormones which have multiple physiological functions.
In addition to the above, a great number of naturally occurring ingredients in substances not normally taken into the diet are known to inhibit or reduce the growth of tumor cells. Some examples of these rarely ingested items are what are termed herbs, edible fungus, e.g. mushrooms and antioxidants from natural raw sources such as grape seed or the Merritime pine bark. Although most, if not all, of the ingredients to be listed under this invention have a mildly positive effect in nourishing all cells, it is the intent of this invention to stimulate the positive effects of aiding in the body""s natural defensive mechanisms and, therefore, through increasing natural immunity, aid in inhibiting the growth of malignant cells.
The present invention therefore extracts data from several well known areas of established Alternative healing. These areas include but are not limited to the following: Ayurvedic Medicine, Chinese Herbology/Medicine, American and/or English Herbology, Homeopathic Medicine, and the known methods in the art of cold pressed glandular extractions. Also included are the areas known as antioxidant and nutritional therapy. The various herbs, mushrooms and other extracts are known in the art to have a positive effect upon inhibiting the growth and metastases of malignant cells, removal of the mucous debris from malignant cellular death and a general cleansing action of the body""s toxicity via the blood and lymphatic systems.
The antioxidants listed in this invention are known to play a role in inhibiting degenerative processes. Amongst the degenerative conditions discussed in the body of common knowledge of the art, the following are considered degenerative diseases, but by no means is the list limited to these conditions. Examples are arthritis, cancer, aging, certain cardiovascular diseases. Many of the degenerative diseases in the human body are partially due to the interference of the synthesis of essential prostaglandin (local hormones) as we age. It is viewed that this is specifically due to the inhibition of the enzyme known as Delta-6-Desaturase. This enzyme normally converts essential unsaturated fatty acids in healthy cells to prostaglandin. Thus in the above list as well as in other degenerative conditions the enzyme is lacking or decreased and the effect is a decrease or lack of prostaglandin and therefore a disease condition in process.
An example of a well known antioxidant which protects blood cells as well as unsaturated fatty acids, which are a source of prostaglandin production is Vitamin E. Vitamin E also protects Vitamin A, another suspected source of prostaglandin production. Therefore, one of the purposes of this invention is the addition of one of the most powerful antioxidants, Pycnogenol (TM) from grape seed extract or the bark of the Merritime Pine tree. This antioxidant will protect both Vitamin A and E. It is common knowledge in the art that the production of free radicals (oxidants) do produce aging and disease. Also a genetic propensity is indicated in aging quickly or slowly as well as in most diseases such as cancer. It is also viewed that oxygen free radicals have a mutating effect upon cellular DNA/RNA. Thus the importance of the antioxidant is the invention under discussion.
In the detailed description of the invention to follow many of the ingredients are known powerful antioxidants which aid in free radical bonding and destruction and removal of same. Also the herbs as listed are descriptive in their particular functions based upon many thousands of years of traditional use in their respective arts. More recently said uses have been supported by scientific investigation.
In one embodiment, the invention is directed to a food supplement which comprises, in combination,
(i) an extract which is stable for an indefinite amount of time in a dry state at ambient conditions,
(ii) said extract being selected from, extracts prepared by aqueous or non-aqueous extractions of plant tissue, each said plant tissue being, respectively, selected from at least one member of a group consisting of roots, stems, seeds, rhizomes, flours, the entire plant tissue and mushrooms,
(iii) in an orally ingestible carrier or diluent,
(iv) each said plant tissue being, respectively, from a plant selected from the group consisting of Arctium Lappa, Commiphoria Mukul, Curcuma longa, Echinacea Angustifolia, Echinacea Purpurea, Ganoderma Lucidium, Hydrastis Canadensis, Inula Helenium, Lens Esculenta, Lentinus Edodes, papain, Pisum Sativum, Proanthocyanidins, Terminalia Chebula, Trifolium Pratense, Ulmus Fulva, Verbascum Thapsus and mixtures thereof, and optionally, further comprising,
(v) extract of animal tissue selected from at least one member of the group consisting of adrenal gland bovine origin, lymphoid mass bovine origin, bovine pancreas, thymus gland bovine origin and mixtures thereof. The foregoing food supplement of at least one of the plant tissues comprises an antioxidant. Still further in the food supplement previously described, at least one of said plant tissues is a Proanthocyanidin.
In other embodiments of the invention, the food supplement described above further comprises at least one additional ingredient selected from the group consisting of (a) water soluble vitamins, (b) fat soluble vitamins, (c) unsaturated fatty acids, (d) their pharmaceutical acceptable salts, (e) and a carrier.
It is therefore the unique combinations of the enumerated components which give this remedy its"" synergistic potency in the amelioration of degenerative diseases.
The plant tissues or extracts therefrom may be constituted by fresh or dehydrated roots, rhizomes, stems, leaves or fruits, depending upon the specific plant, mushroom or herb used.
The present invention provides food supplements which are composed of plant extracted water soluble plant tissues and antioxidant compounds or individual ingredients. The plants, mushrooms or herbs are enumerated below. It should be noted that the antioxidant present in the compounds also will aid in preserving other substances within said compounds from deterioration. This is in addition to their inherent beneficial effects on human beings and/or the Mammalian Family in general.
After pulverizing of the plant materials by any mechanical method; extraction of the water soluble antioxidants and/or active chemical ingredients may be accomplished by use of a plant to water ratio of about 2:1 weight to volume. Extracted plant materials can be separated by any of the known methods in the art such as flotation, filtration, centrifugation and so on. In the discussion of this invention it is preferable to use the pulverized dried plants or mushrooms in their desiccated form. This also holds true for the antioxidant sources such as grape seed extracts or the bark of the Merritime Pine tree, re: Pycnogenol (TM).
The specific list of the components of this invention follow with a brief description of each of the ingredients or components in component form.